Facts about Russia

From the southern seas to the polar region;
Lay our forests and fields.
You are the only one in the world! You are one of a kind —
Protected by God, my native land!S. Mikhalkov / From the Russian anthem

Russia is the largest country in the world

Russia occupies 17 million Square km, which is 11.5% of world territory. Not only the individual states, but even such continents as Australia and Antarctica yield in area for Russia. Russia region is comparable to the area of ​​South America. Russia is located in Eastern Europe and northern part of Asia (this is why, on the emblem, one head of the eagle looks to the east and another to the west).

From west to east, Russia stretches for 10,000 kilometers — this is the fourth part of the equator. To overcome this distance and get from the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea coast, the aircraft will require no less than eleven hours fly. Flight from south to north is not short too. The distance between the northern and southern borders of Russia is up to 4000 km. You have to stay in train for three days, in order to cross country from the cold Kola Peninsula to the North Caucasus.

Russia has nine time zones (Canada has 6; USA — 6). When the morning begins in the east, on the west is evening, and on the Ratmanov Island a new day begins for all the inhabitants of the planet.

Russia has the longest border in the world — 60,932 miles (1.5 length of the equator, or 1/5 of the way from Earth to the Moon).
Russia has the highest number of neighbors — bordering with 18 countries (the largest number in the world).
Russia is the most diverse country in the world it includes more than a hundred nationalities.

Russia is a country of natural contrasts

In the winter in north-eastern Siberia are -50° C, and at this time on the Black Sea Coast are + 6°C. In Russia, is situated one of the cold poles of the planet — in Oymyakon (Siberia), a few decades ago there was recorded a temperature of -77, 8º C.

Russia — the only country, most of which territory lies in the permafrost zone (65%). In Russia, are presented all natural areas except tropical: the icy Arctic desert replaced with the swampy marshes tundra, and then forest zone with dense and impassable taiga of Siberia, in the middle lane is coniferous forests, then meadows, prairies, and in the extreme south of the country are the subtropics.

Russia — the great water country

Russia is one of the leading places in the world with most reserves of fresh water, especially in the lakes. In Russia there are more than two million lakes (the highest number in the world), most of them are small lakes (area of 1 square km). The total area of water surface is more than 350 thousand sq. km. and total lake water reserves are estimated at 26 thousand cubic kilometers; also Lake Baikal has 23 thousand cubic meters. This is 1/5 of the world's water surface (excluding glaciers and ice of Antarctica).

Lake Baikal is the deepest (1637 m), the oldest (25 Mil, years) and the largest lake in the world. Based on the current needs of the people in the water, it is equal to 500 liters per person per night. Baikal water can provide the entire population of Earth with water for about 40 years. Baikal, is called the «blue planet miracle», this is the most transparent lake in the world (visibility up to 40 meters).

Russia has the largest river system in the world. On its territory run 2.5 million rivers. The rivers Ob, Yenisei, Lena and Amur Rivers are the greatest in the world. Volga is the largest river in Europe; the Lena River is the longest river of Russia — 4400 km. Almost all of the great rivers of Russia region have become folk heroes: Volga — river-mother, Dawn — River-Father, the Yenisei — the river-hero (the Yenisei River is the most abounding in Russia).

If you could add a length of all rivers in our country, it would have been a river with a length of about 8 million square kilometers that means one river for 60 residents.

Russia region shores are washed by 13 seas (the largest number in the world). The length of the maritime border is 38,808 kilometers. In the north, sea borders are located on the seas that belong to the Arctic Ocean: the White, Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, and Chukchi. In the eastern part of Russia borders are located waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Rim seas: the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, Bering Sea and Japan. In west, sea border is situated in the Baltic Sea, belonging to the basin of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Bering Sea is the largest and deepest among the seas of Russia and one of the largest and deepest in the world.

Russia has 39 seaports, 131 river ports and 22 port points. Length of berths is 60.5 thousand km (one and a half of the equator). Large ports are St. Petersburg, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Novorossiysk, Tuapse, Vladivostok, Vanino etc.

Russia is The Great Northern country

Russian Arctic region makes 18% of the territory of Russia — 3.1 million square kilometers. Russian sector refers to about one third of the entire area of ​​the Arctic (28%).

The length of Russia's Arctic coast is 22,600 km, which is more than half of the equator length. Russia is the only Nordic country whose great rivers flow into the Arctic Ocean. They are as vital arteries that feed the Arctic Sea, and not only the waters of Russian River, but the spiritual energy of the Russian land.

Precisely in Russia, above the Arctic Circle, are the largest cities in the world, Murmansk, Norilsk and Vorkuta. Murmansk is the largest city in the world situated above the Arctic Circle; it is also the most northerly ice-free port in the world.

Russia is the only country in the world that has national highway transportation in the Arctic — the Northern Sea Route.